Containers



J1me 1955 c. E. MEYERHOEFER 3,

CONTAINERS Filed June 26, 1965 BY azz; M M

more arcuate cutaway skirt portions.

United States Patent 3,186,579 CONTAINERS Carl E. Meyerhoefer, Little Neck, N.Y., assignor to gnolrgnark, Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of New Filed June 26, 1953, S61. No. 290,753 2 Claims. (Cl. 220-43) This invention relates to improved packages of a type suitable for shoe polish or the like.

Such packages in a form comprising a box for the prodnot and a suitable lid both made of sheet metal, have long been known in the art. British Patent 459,757 discloses certain embodiments wherein the lid has one or Downward thumb or finger pressure on the lid directly over the arcuate cutaway portion rocks the lid about fulcrum points at the extremities of the cutaway arc, causing portions of the lid opposite said arcuate cutaway portion thereof to rise off the box portion without the aid of a prying tool. Although the so-called snap open containers are both convenient and popular, they have heretofore been subject to several drawbacks.

Because of the need for a fairly tight seal in containers for vending materials such as shoe polish, for example to prevent the escape of volatile components such as shoe polish solvents from the containers which the art has usually made metal shoe polish boxes of two different gauges of sheet metal. conventionally, the bottom or container portion of such a box is of fairly heavy gauge 9 metal, whereas the metal of the lid portion is of a much thinner gauge. By making the lid portion of thin, fairly the prior art and exemplified by those disclosed in British Patent 459,757, the necessity for flexibility and deforma- .bility in the lid portion to make a tight seal with the bottom container portion is incompatible with the practical need that the lid be easily removable by pressure thereto. The fairly substantial pressures which are applied to the lid to remove it tend to cause its eventual deformation by bowing, buckling, warping, and other mechanical distortion. Although expedients such as the strengthening of the lid by the formation of one or more circular ribs in top portions thereof have been attempted in the prior art, they have not been entirely successful.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide improved boxes of the snap-open type which are resistant to deformation by the pressures required to open them. V

A better understanding of the invention and of the manner in which it accomplishes its object will be had by referring to the accompanying drawing in which FIG. 1 is a plan view of a container according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation of the container of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is'a transverse vertical section, taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the containers of FIGS. 1-4; and

FIG. 6 is a plan diagrammatic view offered to clarify the direction of the views of FIGS. 1-5.

Referring to the drawing, the box shown in the figures comprises bottom or container portion 11, suitably of sheet metal, and tight fitting lid portion 12, also suitably of sheet metal, but usually of thinner gauge than that used for portion 11. When the box is closed, skirt por- 3,186,579 Patented June 1, 1965 tions of lid 12 rest in contact with an upwardly and outwardly extending flange, as a ledge 13, or peripheral flange extending from the side wall of the bottom or container portion 11, and form a tight peripheral seal by close engagement with an outwardly bowed peripherally extending portion of said side wall (FIG. 4). The snapopen feature of the box is provided by arcuate cutaway portion Y formed in the depending peripheral flange or skirt of lid 12. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, downward pressure, for example thumb pressure, at point P on lid 12 over cutaway portion Y causes lid 12 to rotate or rock about an axis through pivot points A and B, thus opening the can. Additionally, lid 12 may be provided with another cutaway portion Z, diametrically opposite cutaway Y, which serves to reduce friction between the skirt of lid 12 and container 11 at the point of opening. Cut Z is usually made shorter than cut Y, so that points C and D of cut Z are more closely spaced along the periphery of bead 13. Pivoting or tilting of the lid under pressure applied to the lid over cut Z is difiicult in view of the small lever arm provided when the axis of rotation passes through points C and D. Accidental opening of a container is, thus, rendered less likely to occur.

According to the present invention, it has been found that by forming lid 12 of a snap-open metal box of the type illustrated to be concave, a resistance to deformation can be imparted to the lid which is far superior to that which can be achieved merely by providing the lid with one or more stiffening ribs, for example. Particularly, by making the top wall of lid 12 concave, effective resistance to deformation is achieved while desirable flexibility in the skirt portions thereof is retained. As is evident from FIG. 4, flexibility in the skirt portion of lid 12 is desirable to furnish as tight a seal as possible with bottom container portion 11 along the line of contact defined by the peripheral points 15.

Lid 12 can be further strengthened by providing it with an annular deformation arranged between the circular upwardly directed ridge 1'5 and the top edge or shoulder 16 of the lid skirt, FIG. 4. This deformation in the form shown also facilitates formation of the concavity-12' and serves to maintain the central portion of the top wall in a position when in use where it does not interfere with or touch the contents of the container. Thus, the effective height of said top wall at 12 above the container contents may be varied within limits to accommodate diiferent desired conditions of filling without varying the height of the skirt portions of lid 12.

As seen in FIG. 4, said reinforcing deformation advantageously includes a substantially frusto-conical portion 18 inclined downwardly and outwardly from upwardly directed ridge 16 and another substantially frustoconical portion 19 inclined downwardly and inwardly from shoulder '16 to form with portion 18 the downwardly'directed annular ridge 16". These parts areso related in position anddimensions that'the bottom of the lid top at 12 lies in a plane between the planes. defined, respectively, by the upper edge of ridge 16 and the lower edge of ridge 16". The frusto-conical portion 18 of lid 12 is advantageously shaped and dimensioned to nest with the similarly contoured bottom wall portion 17 of a container 11 resting thereon when the packages are stacked.

According to the present invention, distortion in use of the flexible lid portion 12 of shoe polish boxes of the snap-open type is further diminished by improvement of bottom or container portion 11 of the boxes. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5, it will be seen that pressure applied to lid 12 at position P will be transmitted to fulcrum points A and B which will be forced downwardly very strongly against flange 13 while the lid is rocked thereon toward open position. Indeed, in view of the resistance of lid 12 to snapping open by rotation around an axis through fulcrum points A and B, the downward pressure transmitted to these points tends to cause deformation of lid 12 in the vicinity of these points by an outward spreading of the skirt portions of lid 12, as well as by buckling of the top of the lid. Thus, a certain fraction of the effort exerted by a user in an attempt to open a container of this type is often uselessly expended in lateral spreading movement of skirt portions of the lid and in the accompanying deformation of the lid with consequent impairment of the seal between lid and container.

According to the present invention, the bottom or container portion 11 of a shoe polish box is provided with said flange or ledge 13 of a type which inhibits lateral deformation of lid 12 when opening pressure is applied thereto at P, FIG. 5. As is best seen in FIG. 4 of the drawing, flange 13extends outwardly and upwardly, being thus inclined to form an acute angle, as a, with opposed vertical skirt portions of lid 12. For example, containerll may be so constructed that the angle cc ,defined between the skirt of lid 12 and flange 13 is no greater than about 45. Suitably, flange 13, can be so formed that the angle a approaches substantially That is, skirt portions of lid 12 can be seated in what is in effect a peripheral groove whose walls are substantially parallel to and thus serve to confine the skirt portion of lid 12 tilinearly bisects a diameter of the, container into line segments whose length ratio is between 1:1 and 3:1; That is, as seen in FIG. 6, points A'and B are so spaced angularly that the ratio E/F is 3:1; and points A and B are so spaced that the ratio E'/F is 1:1. ,In other a F i applied thereto, said skirt having a bottom edge portion cut away in an arc which defines spaced fulcrums where its ends intersect adjacent bottom edge portions of the skirt, said fulcrums 7 being angularly spaced apart between 160 and 180 to ensure effective lid rocking leverage, and said container including an annular side wall of which an upper portion is closely embraced by portions of said skirt, and atperipheral flange extends up wardly and outwardly at an angle of not more than 45 from an intermediate portion of saidside wall thereby to provide a seat for bottom edge portions of said skirt and for said fulcrums and being arranged and adapted to laterally engage bottom portions of said skirt and confine the same against lateral spreading when lid rocking pressure is applied to the top wall of the lid above said cutaway arc.

2. A package for shoe polish, or the like, comprising a container fora supply of the packaged material and a snap-open lid thereon havinga relatively rigid top wall and a relatively flexible skirt portion depending there from said container including an annular side wall of which an upper portion is closely embraced by said skirt and an intermediate portion provides a peripheral flange having portionsextending outwardly and upwardly from and in spaced relation to opposed portions of said side wall to laterally engage and confine bottom portions of said skirt against lateral spreading when pressure is applied to the lid in Opening and to provide a seat for normally engaging and supporting-bottom edge portions of the skirt, and the lid includesa top wall which joins the top edge of said skirt-in a peripheral deformation providing anupwardly directed annular shoulder,'a concave central portiondefined peripherally. by an upwardly words, the radial angle defined by line AB, is 160 whereas the A'B' angle is 180; and effective rocking of the lid to open position will be attained by placing the lid,

fulcrums in any angular relation between 160 and'180."

Although specific embodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood that they are illustrative, and are not to be construed as limiting on the scope and spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A package for shoe polish or the like, comprising a sheet metal container for a supply of the packaged material anda snap-open lid thereon having a relatively rigid top wall of lighter gauge metal than that of said container and a relatively. flexible skirt of substantially uniform circular cylindrical peripheral contour depending therefrom, said top wall including a central downward- 1y dished portion of arcuate cross-sectional contour connected to'the top edge of said skirt by a peripheral portion including a first outwardly extending annular ridgecontinuous with the peripheral edge of said central portion, a second outwardly extending annular ridge continuous with thetop edge of said skirt and an inwardly extend-6 ing annular ridge operativelyiconnecting said first and second annular ridges whereby said top wall is resistant to deformation when downward lid opening pressure is directed annular ridge, and alid reinforcing deformation between said shoulder and said ridge and includinga first substantially frusto-conical annular portion inclined downwardly and outwardly at an obtuse angle from said ridge and a second substantially frusto-conical portion inclined downwardly and inwardly from said shoulder at an acute angle and forming with said first mentioned frusto-conical portion a downwardly directed annular ridge, said ridge and said ishoulder being concentric with said concave central portion, and said' parts being arranged in such relation that'the bottornfof said concave central portion is maintained substantially in a plane between the planes defined, respectively, ,by said upwardly and said downwardly directed ridges.

7 ReferencesCite-i by theExaminer UNITED STATES PATENTS V r 2,138,061 11/38 'Friedinger 22o 4s 2,327,411 8/43 Fink 220-42 3,067,906 12/62 Burdick et-al. .220' 43 1 V FonerGN' ATEN'rs,

621,238 1/27 France, 457,248 11/36 GreatBritain. 1

THERON E. coNnoN, Primary Mama, I EARLE J. 'DRUMMOND, Eramiriert 

1. A PACKAGE FOR SHOE POLISH OR THE LIKE, COMPRISING A SHEET METAL CONTAINER FOR A SUPPLY OF THE PACKAGED MATERIAL AND A SNAP-OPEN LID THEREON HAVING A RELATIVELY RIGID TOP WALL OF LIGHTER GAUGE METAL THAN THAT OF SAID CONTAINER AND A RELATIVELY FLEXIBLE SKIRT OF SUBSTANTIAL UNIFORM CIRCULAR CYLINDRICAL PERIPHERAL CONTOUR DEPENDING THEREFROM, SAID TOP WALL INCLUDING A CENTAL DOWNWARDLY DISHED PORTION OF ARCUATE CROSS-SECTIONAL CONTOUR CONNECTED TO THE TOP EDGE OF SAID SKIRT BY A PERIPHERAL PORTION INCLUDING A FIRST OUTWARDLY EXTENDING ANNULAR RIDGE CONTINUOUS WITH THE PERIPHERAL EDGE OF SAID CENTRAL PORTION, A SECOND OUTWARDLY EXTENDING ANNULAR RIDGE CONTINUOUS WITH THE TOP EDGE OF SAID SKIRT AND AN INWARDLY EXTENDING ANNULAR RIDGE OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID FIRST AND SECOND ANNULAR RIDGES WHEREBY SAID TOP WALL IS RESISTANT TO DEFORMATION WHEN DOWNWARD LID OPENING PRESSURE IS APPLIED THERETO, SAID SKIRT HAVING A BOTTOM EDGE PORTION CUT AWAY IN AN ARC WHICH DEFINES SPACED FULCRUMS WHERE ITS ENDS INTERSECT ADJACENT BOTTOM EDGE PORTIONS OF THE SKIRT, SAID FULCRUM BEING ANGULARLY SPACED APART BETWEEN 160* AND 180* TO ENSURE EFFECTIVE LID ROCKING LEVERAGE, AND SAID CONTAINER INCLUDING AN ANNULAJR SIDE WALL OF WHICH AN UPPER PORTION IS CLOSELY EMBRACED BY PORTIONS OF SAID SKIRT, AND A PERIHERAL FLANGE EXTENDS UPWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY AT AN ANGLE OF NOT MORE THAN 45* FROM AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF SAID SIDE WALL WHEREBY TO PROVIDE A SEAT FOR BOTTOM EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID SKIRT AND FOR SAID FULCRUMS AND BEING ARRANGED AND ADAPTED TO LATERALLY ENGAGE BOTTOM PORTIONS OF SAID SKIRT AND CONFINE THE SAME AGAINST LATERAL SPREADING WHEN LID ROCKING PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO THE TOP WALL OF THE LID ABOVE SAID CUTAWAY ARC. 